"That's Engineering?" (ryan-jones)
08/22/2014 at 10:11 • Filed to: None
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"That's Engineering?" (ryan-jones)
08/22/2014 at 10:11 • Filed to: None | 1
| 10 |
I am beginning my masters degree in mechanical engineering, and my advisor wants me to get my phd. So, for those of you with advanced engineering degrees or those who work with those people, what are the pros/cons of a phd in mechanical engineering? My area of research would be modeling and simulation of automotive systems while working in conjunction with either a hybrid electric or full electric vehicle design/build. I would like to work in Motorsports or R&D for an automotive company, but I am also considering law school. Thanks in advance to those who respond, and sorry for no pic.
Sam
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:17 |
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I don't have experience in the field, but the general rule is that you get a PhD if you want to teach the subject. There are some fields where this doesn't apply, so someone else may correct me.
Gabor Vajda (@Gabor_V)
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:18 |
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Dude, you're not reading my blog: http://gaborvajda.kinja.com/tag/nicolas-pe…
crowmolly
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:21 |
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Pro: You have a Dr. in front of your name and it may open doors in a research environment.
Con: It probably won't get you any more pay or a better job because experience and output matter more.
Source: Two family members are heads of ME departments. One small, one very large and I've heard both of them say the same. The one who oversees the large department is constantly mentioning how he sees a stack of advanced resumes but it's still hard to find a good engineer with talent and drive. Going from a BS to an MS carries weight where going from an MS to a PhD does not as much.
Other people may disagree but this is what I've got for you ;)
Edit:
After my master's I turned down a PhD position as it was diminishing returns. I am in a different technical field though.
vicariousILive
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:25 |
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I'm in the aerospace industry and I only have bachelor's degree but if you want a modeling and simulation type job you will be just as good with a master's compared to a PhD if you ask me
yamahog
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:27 |
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For what it's worth, a friend of mine has a PhD in engineering (not sure which concentration) and works in R&D at GM, so it sounds like the route you'd like to take is possible. Another friend of mine is a lawyer with an undergrad degree in engineering (works in tech patent laws) and has been openly discouraging people from law school, as there are so many new lawyers and not enough positions the competition has been brutal. It takes an outstanding resume for his firm to even look at it if the law school isn't an Ivy and the grades aren't perfect.
Flugtechnik
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:35 |
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I my field, aerospace, you only get a PhD if you want to teach or do deep research work for someone like NASA. Companies are sometimes reluctant to hire PhDs for regular jobs because they tend to make science projects out of everything and don't get much actual work done and they tend to want more pay to do the same job as someone with a lesser degree. They will sometimes hire PhDs for their R&D departments, but those jobs are few and far between. However, a Masters is generally considered equivalent to 2 years experience when considering position levels and pay. So it basically depends on what your ultimate goal is. I have a masters in aerospace engineering but against the wishes of my advisor decided not to pursue a PhD and started working instead.
jariten1781
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:39 |
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I don't know about the automotive world, but I'm in defense and advanced engineering degrees have a very minimal to no impact here. Our engineers are probably 20% PhD, 20% masters, 50% bachelors, 10% technicians that fleeted up with no diploma. The only thing it really effects is your starting salary and that's equalized in a year or two. It is not abnormal for a person with a bachelors to be in a higher position than a PhD with the same amount of experience based on their performance.
If you want to ladder climb by jumping from industry to academia to government ad nauseam it's useful. It can also open the possibility of GS-15 non-supervisory positions if you want to go the government route.
ttyymmnn
> That's Engineering?
08/22/2014 at 10:41 |
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I have a terminal degree in music (Doctor of Musical Arts, or DMA). While my situation may be slightly different than yours, this is what I learned about my degree. When I was applying for college teaching positions, I asked one of the interview committee members how important it was to have the DMA. He said, "When we get all the applications, we take all the applicants with DMAs and put them in one pile, and all those without a DMA in a second pile. We start with the first pile. We may never get to the second pile. So, having the DMA gets you in the first pile."
I don't know how it is with practical engineering positions versus academic positions. But I would imagine that regardless of the employment opportunity, having the PhD would always get you in the first pile.
UKGTR335
> yamahog
08/22/2014 at 10:44 |
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As a lawyer, who also has a friend with a PhD in engineering (biomed) I can second this opinion and would discourage law school. My. friend works for J&J doing cancer detection research. Makes mucho dinero. Also, getting a PhD is not as expensive as going to law school. There are currently too many lawyers and not enough law jobs. I was lucky to get a good job with good people. If you don't go to a top 50 law school and get good grades, you can still get a job, but it will be harder and you will make less. If you decide later in life you want to go to law school, you will have lots of experience as an engineer which will set you apart from other attorneys and make you way more valuable in the patent attorney job market.
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That's Engineering?
> yamahog
08/22/2014 at 11:57 |
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Yeah I've noticed that trend as well. It used to be that IP/patent law was an open field, but it appears that in recent years, it has become as saturated as other fields. Or at least, that is what I am hearing.